Eolas Fúinne / About Us

Tá Ionaid Tacaíochta Oideachais in Éirinn (ESCI) mar an scátheagraíocht do Líonra Náisiúnta na nIonad Múinteoirí/Oideachais (Tacaíochta), a chuimsíonn 21 Ionad Oideachais Lánaimseartha agus 9 Páirtaimseartha. Déanann sé ionadaíocht ar leas an Líonra ina iomláine lena n-áirítear an Bhainistíocht, na Stiúrthóirí agus an Fhoireann. Is é ESCI a dhéanann beartais an Líonra agus is ag an gCruinniú Cinn Bhliana a fhoirmítear Beartas Ginearálta ESCI. Féadfaidh an Feidhmeannas freisin beartas a cheapadh do ESCI ag amanna eile de réir mar is gá. Déanann Feidhmeannas ESCI beartas an Chumainn a chur in iúl agus a chur i bhfeidhm agus déanann sé idirbheartaíocht, thar ceann a chomhaltaí, leis an Roinn Oideachais agus le Comhlachtaí Oideachais agus Comhpháirtithe Oideachais ábhartha eile. Is é an Feidhmeannas, nó a ainmnitheach, urlabhraí an Chumainn amháin. Tagann an Feidhmeannas le chéile go rialta ag an leibhéal Náisiúnta. Éascaíonn bonneagar réigiúnach ESCI comhoibriú agus nuálaíocht, a scaiptear ansin ar fud an Líonra.

The Education Support Centres in Ireland (ESCI) is the umbrella organisation for the National Network of Teacher/Education (Support) Centres, which comprises 21 Full-time and 9 Part-time Education Centres. It represents the interest of the Network as a whole including Management, Directors and Staff.
It is the Policy-making Body for the Network and general ESCI Policy is formulated at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive may also formulate policy for the ESCI at other times as required. The ESCI Executive articulates and implements the policy of the Association and negotiates, on behalf of its members, with the Department of Education & Skills and other relevant Education Bodies and Partners. The Executive or its nominee is the sole spokesperson of the Association.
The Executive meets regularly at National level. The ESCI Regional infrastructure facilitates collaboration and innovation, which is then disseminated throughout the Network.

Aidhmeanna an Chumainn:

(a) gníomhú ar son agus thar ceann na nIonad ar Baill iad ar gach ábhar Beartais mar a chomhaontaíonn na hIonaid ag CGB nó CGU
(b) chun próifíl na nIonad a ardú
(c) bheith ina chomhpháirtí ag leibhéal náisiúnta i gceapadh Beartais Oideachais
(d) comhairle agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do Choistí Bainistíochta agus do Stiúrthóirí na nIonad. Beidh comhaltas ESCI ar oscailt d’Ionaid a bhfuil a n-ainmneacha taifeadta ar Chlár na nIonad sin arna chothabháil ag an Aire de bhun fhorálacha Alt 37 - (2). (b) d’Acht 1998 ina dtugtar Ionaid Tacaíochta Oideachais orthu. Beidh gach Ionad freagrach as a stádas féin ar an gClár a chothabháil.

Stiúrthóirí Lánaimseartha agus Páirtaimseartha ESCI a fhreastal ar an gCruinniú Ginearálta Bliantúil in Ionad Oideachais Bhaile Átha Luain 2019. Tá sainchúram faoi leith ag Ionaid Oideachais (Ionaid Múinteoirí ar dtús) faoin Acht Oideachais (1998). Sa chomhthéacs seo freagraíonn siad do chlár oibre an Chórais um Fhorbairt Ghairmiúil Leanúnach (FGL) thar ceann na Roinne Oideachais agus do riachtanais forbartha gairmiúla múinteoirí, bainistíocht scoile agus tuismitheoirí ag leibhéil áitiúla agus réigiúnacha. Is Comhlachtaí Reachtúla iad na hIonaid Oideachais, maoinithe ag Rannóg um Oideachas Múinteoirí na Roinne Oideachais agus iad á mbainistiú ag Coistí Bainistíochta deonacha a thoghtar go bliantúil. Cuireann an ESCI a ról agus ról an Líonra chun cinn go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta.

The Association aims:

(a) to act for and on behalf of Member Centres on all matters of Policy as agreed by Centres at AGM or EGM
(b) to raise the profile of Centres
(c) to be a partner at national level in the formulation of Education Policy
(d) to provide advice and support to Committees of Management and Directors of Centres.
Membership of the ESCI shall be open to Centres whose names are entered on a register of such Centres maintained by the Minister pursuant to the provisions of Section 37 – (2) of the Act of 1998 where they are known as Education Support Centres. Each Centre shall be responsible for maintaining its own status on the Register.

ESCI Full-Time and Part-Time Directors attending the Annual General Meeting in Athlone Education Centre 2019.
Education Centres (originally Teachers’ Centres) have a particular remit under the Education Act (1998). In this context they respond to the System’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) agenda on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills and to the professional development needs of teachers, school management and parents at local and regional levels. Education Centres are Statutory bodies, funded by the Teacher Education Section of the Department of Education & Skills and are managed by voluntary Management Committees elected annually.
The ESCI promotes their role & the role of the Network nationally and internationally.